Segall Ty

Very taken with Africa Express' version of "In C", by Terry Riley, this week. I have a few takes on the piece (50 years old this month, incidentally), the latest being one by Portishead's Adrian Utley from a couple of years back, though I still probably default to what I think is the original recording from '68.

Sounds of the '60s on blissed-out second...

Thanks for all the nice feedback about the Liam Hayes/Plush piece I wrote earlier in the week. Lots of other good new arrivals in the list here, and you could do worse than start off by listening to the Cool Ghouls from San Francisco, especially if you're interested in the Allah-Las, the Ty Segall axis, Nuggets ad nauseam and so on.

Vile day here in London, improved to some degree I'd hope by the arrival in UK shops of the new edition of Uncut. It has Nick Drake on the cover, as you probably know if you're a subscriber and your copy arrived over the weekend.

The story of Drake as an uncompromising musical visionary is told by Joe Boyd, John Wood, Richard Thompson, Ashley Hutchings, Beverley Martyn and more who knew the singer-songwriter.

Nick Drake, Ryan Adams, Jeff Tweedy and Queen all feature in the new issue of Uncut, dated October 2014 (Take 209) and out tomorrow (August 26).

Robert Plant, Tom Petty, King Crimson and Bobby Womack all feature in the new issue of Uncut, dated September 2014 (Take 208) and out tomorrow (July 29). We track Plant, on the cover, from the Welsh Marches to the nightclubs of Paris to hear about bee colonies, mountain lions, altercations with Moroccan traffic cops, Bron-Yr-Aur, Jimmy Page, and Plant's extraordinary new solo album.

There's a song on this new Purling Hiss album, playing again now, that sounds more or less like "Debaser" played by Dinosaur Jr. Along with the intensely spirited debut by Mary Timony's Ex-Hex and a comp of the pre-Beachwood Sparks, Sebadoh-indebted Further, it feels a little like College Rock revisited week. Deep late '80s/early '90s vibes, good times etc.

Robert Plant, Tom Petty, King Crimson and Bobby Womack all feature in the new issue of Uncut, dated September 2014 (Take 208) and out tomorrow (July 29). We track Plant, on the cover, from the Welsh Marches to the nightclubs of Paris to hear about bee colonies, mountain lions, altercations with Moroccan traffic cops, Bron-Yr-Aur, Jimmy Page, and Plant's extraordinary new solo album.

After the Best Albums Of 2014: Halftime Report business earlier in the week, it’s good to push on today with a bunch of very fine new arrivals, many of which you can hear at least tracks from below.